Knockdown crate.



T. 000KB.

KNOGKDOWN CRATE.

AYPLIOATION FILED NOV. 25, 1912.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

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T. 000KB. KNOOKDOWN CRATE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1912. 1,072,826. Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

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TRUMAN CUOKE, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

KnooKnowN CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TRUMAN COOKE, a citizenof the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefiersonand 'State ofKent-ucky, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Knockdown Crates, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to knockdown crates in which the sidewalls arehinged to a base by horizontal hinges, and two oppositecnes of the sidewalls carry hinged sections which form the top of the crate.

it is the object of the invention to provide a novel arrangement ofwalls and hinge connections therebetween, whereby the crate can befolded into a small and compact form for convenience in shipment andstorage- The invention also provides for a removable partition wherebythe crate when set up can be divided into two compartments when it isdesired. to separate different varieties of fowls or to prevent thefowls from injuring each other by fighting, etc. This partition alsoserves as a brace. to the crate, preventlng 1t from collapslng when setup.

The invention also has for its object to provide a structure whichenables the crate to be set up as a double coop for small chickens.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of the crate set up ready for use. Fig. 2is an edge view, partly in section showing the crate folded' Fig. 3 isanother edge view of a fragment of the folded crate. Fig. 4 is afragment of the top portion of the crate, partly broken down. Fig. 5 isa longitudinal section showing the crate set up as a double coop. Fig. 6is a view of the removable partition showing pins which fit into holesin the floor to retain it in position, the upper edge being secured tothe top of crate by twine or wire.

In the drawing, 10 denotes the base or floor of the crate. This base isrectangular, and along two opposite edges thereof extend strips 11forming marginal ledges to which are hinged, horizontally, by means ofstaples 12, walls 18, the latter forming two of the side walls of thecrate. The other two side walls ll of the crate are hinged directly tothe corresponding edges of the base by staples 15, the hinge connectionbeing also horizontal. To the top edge of each wall 14.- is hinged asection 16, the hinge connection being made by means of S-shaped hooks17.

The sections 16 form the top of the crate when the latter is set up. Thebase 10 is also Patented Sept.9,1913. Application filed November 25,1912. Serial No. 733,482. i p

the under side of the removable partition 2 28. The side walls andpartition as well as the top sections, are made of rectangular framescomposed of metal rods or wooden strips covered with wire cloth ornetting.

The crate is set up by placing-the side walls 13 and 14 in verticalposition and unfolding the sections 16 so as to extend across the top ofthe crate, the length of said sections being such as to form a completeclosure for the top of the crate. The length of the sections 16 is thesame as the height of the walls 1 1, and the walls 13 are so dimensionedthat their top edges come flush with the top edges of the walls 14. Onthe top: edge of the walls 13' are dowel pins 18 which enter apertures19 in the under side of the sections 16, the ends of said sectionsoverlapping the top edges of the walls.

13 a sufficient distance so that the dowel pins may enter saidapertures. This connection prevents the walls 13 from collapsing when inset-up position. The edges of the sections 16, adjacent to the walls 13,carry loops 20 for fastening said sections down on said walls, which maybe done by providing the walls 13 with corresponding loops 21 andpassing tie wires through the loops or applying padlocks thereto.

The crate is folded by disconnecting the top sections 16 and swingingthe side walls 13 and 14 down into horizontal position. The side walls 11 are then folded over on top of the base 10 and the sections 16 arefolded down on top of said folded sidewalls. The side walls 13 can nowbe folded down on top of the folded sections 16, as the height of theledges 11 corresponds to the combined thickness of the folded parts lland 16. Thus the folded parts 14; and 16 lie between the base 10 and thefolded side walls 13.

The removable partition 28 can now be secured on top by twine or wire.This manner of folding the crate walls makes a small and compact packageand saves space in shipment and storage when the crate is empty.

The crate may also be arranged as a double coop for small chickens asshown in Fig. 5. To do this, the side walls 14 are in recesses 23 in theledges 11. In order that access may readily be had to the compartments,one of the walls 13 is provided with doors 24.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, but it will beunderstood that various minor changes may be made without a departurefrom the invention as claimed hereinafter.

I claim:

1. A knockdown crate comprising a rectangular base, side walls hingedhorizontally to the base along two opposite edges thereof, hinged topsections carried by said walls and forming the top of the crate, ledgeson 'the base along the other opposite edges thereof, and side wallshinged horizontally to the ledges beyond the ends of the first mentionedside walls, each of the first-men tioned side walls and its hinged topsection Copies of this patent may be obtained for being foldable uponthemselves and on the 'base, and the second-mentioned side walls being'foldable" upon said first-mentioned folded side walls and top sections,and a removable partition wall section which can be temporarily hingedto the free edge of one of the topsections by wireloops substantially asshown and described.

2. A knockdown crate comprising a rectangular base, side walls hingedhorizontally to the base along two opposite edges thereof, hinged topsections carried by said walls and forming the top of the crate, ledgeson the base along the other opposite edges thereof, and side wallshinged horizontally to the ledges beyond the ends of the firstmentionedside walls, each of the first-men- I TRUMAN oooKE.

Witnesses i ALEXANDER G.' SoHUMAN, GEORGE E. SCHUMAN;

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,- Washington,D. G.

